Variable-speed and reversing gear.



No. 709,690. Patented Sept. 23, |902.

H. J. WESTUVER.

VARIABLE SPEED AND REVERSING GEAR.

(Application led Aug. 30, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet I.

WITNESSES INVENTOR ATT EY N0. 709,690. Patented Sept 23, |902.

H. .1. wEsTovEn. VARIABLE SPEED AND REVERSING GEAR.

(Application filed Aug. 30. 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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` Patented Sept. 23, |902. H. J. WESTOVER. l

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HENRY J. \VESTOVER, Ol MOUNT VERNON, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO II.

WARD LEONARD,'OF BRONXVILLE, NEW YORK.

VARlABLE-SPEED AND REVERSlNGi GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,690, dated September 23, 1902.

Application filed August 30, 1901. Serial No. 73,778. (No model.)

vTo all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. IVESTOVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of AWestchester and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Variable-Speed and Reversing Gears, of which the following is a specilication.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective arrangement of gears and shifting mechanism for three speeds and a reversing connection for reversing the driving connection, preferably at a low speed.

A further object is to provide a speed-varying gear in which the high-speed connection will be a direct driving connection instead of through gearing, as is the case in the numerous forms of variable-speed gears heretofore proposed. lByemploying adirect driving connection for high speed no power is wasted in gearing, which is an objectionable feature of nearly all variable-gear mechanisms.

Incarrying my invention into effect I employ three parallel shafts, two of whichthe low and the intermediate speed shafts-being journaled onv a reciprocating slide and the high-speed shaft being arranged between the low and intermediate speed shafts, but not on the reciprocating slide. The low and intermediate speed gears have fixed positions relative t0 each other and are moved positively into and out of mesh bythe slide. For reciprocating the slide I preferably provide a shaft having an eccentric at each end working in bearings in the slide, and beveled pinions are provided for rol ating said shaft. The eccentrics are arranged so that when either the low or intermediate speed gears are in mesh the eccentrics will be on dead-centers and will serve as a locking means t0 prevent the slide from shifting, and hence these two speed gears are positively locked when in driving connection with the motor or driving shaft-that is, one set is positively locked in xnesli,wliile the otherset is positively locked out of mesh. The high-speed shaft is in two parts, which are disconnected and constitute the driving and driven members of the gear when operating at. low or intermediate speed, and the two parts of this shaft are placed in operative connection by means of a jawclutch, which is operated by a pivoted lever held under spring tension for throwing the` clutch into engagement. The engagement and disengagement of the clutch is controlled by a cam-wheel which rotates with the shaft through which the slide is reciprocated. The shape ofthe cam-wheel is Such that while shifting'from the position of rest to low speed and from low speed to intermediate speed the clutch controlling the high-speed connection is disengaged and in shifting from the intermediate speed to the high speed the clutch is allowed to engage. The reversing mechanism comprises a set of friction-gears for each end of the high-speed shaft and preferably an intermediate gear, such as beveled pinions, for changing the direction of rotation. The reversing-shaft, which carries part of the frictionwheels and the reversing pinions, is mounted in eccentric bearings provided with a rocker arm or lever, by means of which the reversing-shaft is slightly raised or iowered, whereby the friction-wheels are placed into or out of engagement. The friction-Wheels of the reversing-gear are arranged so as to give a reduced speed at the driven end of the main or high-speed shaft.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view and partial section of the speed-varying gears, the top or cover of the casing being removed; Fig. 2, a crosssection on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig.. l; and Figs. 4 to S, inclusive, are diagrammatical illustrations of the relative positions of the gears, starting from the position of rest to the position of high speed.

Referring to the drawings, A is the main driving-shaft, made up in two parts, one part constituting the driving end and `which is connected with the driving-motor by any suitable form of coupling A. The driving end of main shaft A carries a sleeve oi, splined thereto and provided with a pinion A2 and one member B of a clutch adapted to engage the other member B of the clutch and which member is formed integral with a sleeve a', provided with gears A3 and A4. This sleeve is keyed to shaft A5, which is the driven end of the main shaft. A2 is the driving-pinion of the variable-gear mechanism.

A3 is the 10W-speed gear, and A4 is the intermediate-speedgear. OlutchBBisthehighspeed driving connection, B being the movable element. Low-speed shaft or connection C is a sleeve carried by a rod c, secured in slides S. vSleeve Gis provided with gear C and pinion C2, the former being arranged to mesh with pinion A2 and the latter with gear A3.

D is the intermediate-speed shaft or connection, which is also in the form of a sleeve carried by rod (l, mounted in the slides S. Sleeve d is provided with gear Dl and pinion D2, the former being arranged to mesh with pinion A2 and the latter with gear A4. Slides S are placed between two guide-tianges s, and at one end of the slides are the eccentrics e, operated by shaft E to reciprocate the slide. Shaft E is journaled in suitable bearings secured to the gear-casing. Keyed on this shaftv is a sleeve e4, having a beveled pinion E, ywith which the beveled pinion E2 meshes and whereby the shaftE is rotated in either direction. Beveled pinion E2 is carried by an arbor c3, having a pinion c4, which meshes with rack l4. 'lhis rack is shifted by any suit-able mechanism in either direction to rotate the shaft actuating the reciprocating slide S. Arbor e3 works in a bearing m, mounted within vt he casing M, which is secured over an opening in the top plate or cover of casing G, as shown in Fig. 2, an opening being provided at one side of casing M for the rack-bar E4. with a cam-'wheel E3, having a cani or recess c2. The high-speed clutch B B is operated by lever F, pivoted to the casing at f. rlhe short end of this lever is provided with a roller j", which engages the surface of calnwheel E3 for holding the clutch normally out of engagement. Lever F is in the form of a link or strap, as shown in Fig. 2, and at the clutch is provided with two screw-pins f2, which work in a ig-roove, Z) in the tnovable head B. The long end of the leveris attached to a spring F', which is under tension and tends to close the clutch B B4. Rollerf' is designed to drop into the cam or recess e2 when the cam is rotated, and when the roller is in the recess the spring will throw the lever and close the clutch B B.

The parts so far described are inclosed in a dust-proof 'casing G, which is provided with arms or brackets G', by means of which the apparatus is hung from the running-gear or framework of a-motor-carriage, for which the gear is primarily designed, although it will be understood this variable gear may be employed in other ways.

The motor end of the high-speed shaft is providedwithafriction-pinionI-I. Asshown in the drawings, this pinion is formed on the reduced portion of driving-clutch A. This pinion is arranged to engage a similar friction-Wheel I-I, which is mounted on the rc- Sleeve e is also provided voaee versing-shaft I. The other end of the reversing-shaft is provided with a similar pinion H2, which meshes with a similar frictionwheel H3, keyed on the driven end A5 of the main shaft, as shown in Fig. 3.

Reversing-shaft I is in two sections connected by miter-gears J, inclosed in a casing J. Miter-gear .I is employed to change the direction of rotation of shaft I, and hence causes the two sections of the high-speed shaft to rotate in opposite directions. Reversing shaft I is mounted in eccentric sleeves 7c, working in bearings K, secured to the under side of casing G by suitable bolts, as shown in Fig. 3. The eccentric bearings are provided with arms connected by a rod, forming a rocker L, by means of which the sleeves are partially rotated. The rocker L may be moved by a lever in any suitable tnanner. In the normal position of the apparatus rocker L is held by a spring, (not shown,) so that the position of the eccentric sleeves 7e within the bearings K will hold the friction-pinions H' and H2 out of mesh with -pinions 1I and H3, respectively.

The position of the apparatus as shown in Figs. l and 4 is the positionof rest. To start the motor-carriage or other apparatus driven through the variable gear, rack-bar E4 is shifted to the left, so as to rotate the shifting-shaft E in the direction of the arrows on disk E3 and through eccentrics e move slide S to the position illustrated in Fig. 5, so as to bring A2, C', C2, and A3 into mesh. The driving connection thus being from sleeve t through the low-speed shaft C and gear A3 to sleeve d4, which, as above stated, is keyed to the driven end A5 of the high-speed shaft. During this operation clutch B B is held out of engagement by lever F through the. engagement of roller f with the flat surface of cani-wheel E3, the cam e2 having moved from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 5. When wheels A2, C, C2, and A3 are fully in mesh, eccentrics e will be on dead centers, as shown in Fig. 5, and hence any tendency of the slide to shift in the direction for separating said gears will be resisted at the eccentrics, and from this it will be seen that the disengagement of said gears can only be effected by operating the shifting-gear E' E2. To obtain the intermediate speed, the movement of rack-bar E4 is continued inthe same direction and the eccentrics actuating slideS will now move the slide in the opposite direction to the position shown in Fig. t5, thus throwing the pinions and gearsjust referred to out of mesh, and by continuing the movement to the position shown in Fig..7 gears A2, D', D2, and A4 will be thrown into mesh, as shown in Itig. 7, the driving connection thus being from sleeve a through intermediate shaft D and gear A4 to sleeve d' on the driven end A5 of the high-speed shaft. During this shift rollerf' still remains on the dat surface of cam-wheel E3, so that clutch B B' IOO IOS

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is still held out of engagement, and in the shift from the position of Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 'cam c2 will have moved two steps for-` ward in the direction indicated by the arrows as shown in Figs. (i and 7. In making the change from low speed to intermediate speed the eccentrics in moving slide S make onehalf a revolution, and hence will be on deadcenters again, but on the opposite side, and therefore slide S will be again looked in position, as above explained. To reach high speed, rack-bar E4 is moved still farther in the same direction, whereupon the eccentrics will now shift slide S in the opposite direction again-that is, the direction in which it was moved for the low-speed connection, but to a lesser extent, as shown in Fig. 8. This movement brings the cam-surface e2 beneath the roller f', whereupon spring Uactuates lever F and closes the high-speed clutch B B, the driving connection now being direct from sleeve a, which is the driving end of the highspeed shaft, to sleeve ct', which is keyed to the driven end A5 of the high-speed shaft,

To reduce the speed from either the high or intermediate speeds or to bring the apparatus to the stopping position, rack-bar Eel is movedin the opposite direction, so that shaft E will rotate in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. l, the effect being if the apparatus is connected for high speed to first move the lever F, so as to disengage clutchB B", then by continuing the movement of the rack-bar the intermediate-speed pinions and gears will be thrown into mesh and immediately out of mesh, and then the lowspeed connection will be thrown into mesh and immediately out o f mesh if it is desired to bring the apparatus to a stop. It will be understood that to stop at the intermediate speed the movement of the rack-bar will be arrested at the proper point.

In practice rack-bar E* is shifted by a suitable controlling-lever with proper stoppingpoints for the different speeds; but since this forms no part of the present invention it is not illustrated nor described.

Vhat I claim isl. In a variable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, of a clutch' for making direct connection between said shafts, a lower-speed gear for connecting said shafts around said clutch, a lever for shifting one member of said clutch, a cam for con-` trolling the movements of said lever, and a shifting mechanism for placing said lowerspeed gear into and ontof mesh with the driving and driven shafts, substantially as Set forth.

2. In a variable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, of a clutch for making direct connection between said shafts, two lower-speed gears for connecting said shafts around said clutch, a lever for shifting one member of said clutch, a cam for controlling the movements of said lever, and a shifting mechanism for placing said the driving and driven shafts, of a clutchV for making direct connection between said shafts, a lower-speed gear for connecting said shafts around said clutch, a lever for shift-- ing one member of said clutch, a cam for controlling the movements of said lever, a reciprocating slide for placing said lower-speed gear into and out of mesh with the driving and driven shafts and means for shifting said slide, substantially as set forth.

4. Ina variable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, of a clutch for making direct connection between said shafts, two lower-speed gears, two shafts on which said gears are mounted and arranged parallel with the first-named shafts, forI connecting said shafts around the clutch, a lever for shifting one member of said clutch, a cam `for controlling the movements of said lever,

;necting said shafts around the clutch, 'a lever for shifting one member of said clutch, a cam for controlling the movements of said lever,

a reciprocating slide for placing said lowerspeed gears into and out of mesh with the driving and driven shafts, and means for shifting said slide, substantially as set forth.

6. In a variable gear,the combination with the driving and driven shafts, of a clutch for making direct connection between said shafts, a lower-speed gear for connecting said shafts around said clutch, a spring-actuated lever for moving said clutch, a cam for controlling the movement of said lever, means for moving said cam to permit said lever to shift the clutch, and a shifting mechanism for placing said lower-speed gear into and out of mesh with the driving and driven shafts, substantially as set forth.

7. In a po wer-transmitting gear, the combination with a driving and a driven shaft, of a clutch for makingdirect connection between said shafts, a lever for shifting one member of said clutch, a cam for controlling the movements of said lever, and a reversing-gear for connecting said shafts around the clutch to rotate the driven shaft in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the driving-shaft, substantially as set forth.

S. Ina power-transmitting gear, the combination with a driving and a driven shaft, of a clutch for making direct connection between said shafts, a lever for shifting one member of said clutch, a cam forcontrolling the move- IOO IIO

ments of said lever, and a reversing-gear for connecting said shafts around the clutch to rotate the driven shaft in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the driving-shaft, said gear comprising driven and driving pinions mounted independently, an intermediate gear for changing the direction of rotation, and means for shifting said reversing-gear into and out of mesh, substantially as set forth.

9. In avariable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, of a clutch for making directconnection between said shafts, a lower-speed gear for connecting said shafts around said clutch, a lever for shifting one member of said clutch, a cam for controlling the movements of said lever, ashifting mechanism for placing said lower-speed gear into and out of mesh with the driving and driven shafts, and means forming part of the shifting mechanism whereby said lower-speed gear will be locked in operative position, substantially as set forth.

10. In a variable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, of a clutch for making direct connection between the said shafts, two lower-speed gears for connecting said shafts around said clutch, a lever for shifting one member of said clutch, a cam for controlling the movements of said lever, a shifting mechanism for placing the said lowerspeed gears into and out of mesh with the driving and driven shaft, and means forming part of the shifting mechanism whereby said lower-speed gears will be locked in operative position, substantially as set forth.

11. In a variable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, of a clutch for making direct connection between said shafts, a lower-speed gear for connecting said shafts aroundsaid clutch, means for con trolling said clutch, a reciprocating slide for placing said lower-speed gear into and out of mesh with the driving and driven shafts,means for shifting said slide, said means also constituting a locking means for locking said slide against movement when said lower-speed gear is in mesh with said driving and driven shafts, substantially as set forth.

. 12. In a variable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, of a clutch for making direct connection between the said shafts, two lower-speed gears, two shafts on which said gears are mounted and arranged parallel with the first-named shafts for connecting said shafts around the clutch, means for controlling said clutch, a shifting mechanism for placing said lower-speed gears into and out of mesh with the driving and driven shafts, and means forming part of the shifting mechanism whereby said lower speed gears will be locked in operative position, substantially as set forth.

13. In a variable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, of a clutch for making -direct connection between the said shafts, two lower-speed gears, two shafts on which said gears are mounted and arranged parallel with the first-named shafts for connecting said shafts around the clutch, means for controlling said clutch, a reciprocating slide for placing said lower-speed gears into and out of mesh with the driving and driven shafts, means for shifting said slide, said means also constituting a locking means for locking said slide against movement when either of said lower-speed gears are in mesh with the driving and driven shafts, substantially as set forth.

14. In a variable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, of a clutch for making direct connection between said shafts, a lower-speed gear for connecting said shafts around said clutch, means for controlling said clutch, a reciprocating slide for placing said lower-speed gear into and out of mesh with the driving and driven shafts, eccentrics for reciprocating said slide, said eccentrics being arranged so as to be on dead-centers when the lower speed is in mesh, and means forrotating said eccentrics, substantially as set forth.

15. In a variable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, a clutch for making-direct connection between said shafts, a lower-speed gear on each side of said driving and driven shafts, said lower-speed gears being mounted on shafts parallel with the first-named shafts for connecting said rstnamed shafts around the clutch, a lever for shifting one member of said clutch, a cam for lOO controlling the movements of said lever,a rei ciprocating slide carrying the shafts of said lower-speed gears, and means for reciprocating said slide for simultaneously moving oneI lower-speed gear into mesh with the gears of the driving and driven shafts and the other out of mesh, substantially as set forth.

16. In avariable gear, the combination with the driving and driven shafts, a clutch for making direct connection between said shafts, a lower-speed gear on each side of said driving and driven shafts, two shafts on which said gears are mounted and arranged parallel with the first-named shafts for connecting saidv first-named shafts around the clntch,' means for controlling said clutch, a reciprocating slide carrying the shafts of said lowerspeed gears, and eccentrics for reciprocating said slide for simultaneously moving one lower-speed gear into mesh with the gears of the driving and driven shafts and the other out of mesh, and said` eccentrics being arranged so as to be on dead-centers when either of the lower-speed gears are in mesh, substantially asset forth. l

17. A driving-shaft provided with a pinion, a driven shaft in line therewith provided with a gear-wheel, a jaw-clutch for connecting and disconnecting said shafts, a lever for operating said clutch, a parallel speed-reducing shaft, a gear-wheel and pinion on said shaft which mesh respectively with the pinion and gear-wheel on the driving and driven shafts,

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and operating means whereby said gears or said clutch can be brought into operative relation, and said means operating to prevent the simultaneous engagement of said gears and said clutch.

18. A driving-shaft provided with a pinion, a driven shaft in line therewith provided with two gear-wheels, a jaw-clutch for connecting and disconnecting said shafts, a lever for operating said clutch, a parallel speed-reducing shaft provided with a gear-wheel and pinion which mesh respectively with the pinion on the driving-shaft and one of the gear-wheels on the driven shaft, a second parallel speedreducing shaft provided with a gear-wheel adapted to mesh with the pinion on the driving-shaft and a pinion adapted to mesh with the second gear-wheel on the driven shaft, and operating means whereby said gears or said clutch can be brought successively into operative relation, and said means operating to prevent the simultaneous engagement of either of said low-speed gears and said clutch.

19. A change-speed gear having in combination two end-to-end shafts, gear-wheels on said shafts,a clutch for connecting said shafts, a spring-actuated lever for operating said ciutch, a cam for controlling the movement of said lever, a reciprocating slide, a speedchanging shaft carried by said slide and provided with a gear-wheel and pinion adapted to mesh with the gear-wheels on the firstnamed shafts, and a single means for simultaneously reciprocating said slide and rotating said cam, whereby, bya continuons movement of said means, said clutch and speedchanging gears are respectively moved into and out of engagement.

20. A change-speed gear having in combination two end-to-end shafts, gear-wheels on said shafts,a clutch forconnecting said shafts, a spring-actuated lever for operating said clutch, a cam for controlling the movement of said lever, a reciprocating slide, two speedchanging shafts carried by said slide and each provided with a gear-wheel and pinion adapted to mesh with the gear-wheels on the firstnamed shafts, and a single means for simultaneously reciprocating said slide and rotating said cani, whereby, by a continuons movement of said means, said clutch and speedchanging gears are successively moved into and out of engagement.

This specification signed and witnessed this 23d day of August, 1901.

HENRY J. NVESTOVER.

\Vitn esses:

JOHN LEONARD KEBLER, HARRY F. DAvIpsoN. 

